I Wonder How Many of You Can Relate?

The Moment You’re Weightless

by Mario Gomez, German National Team

My father always tells this one particular story about my very first football match.

I was four years old and I didn’t really know what I was doing. All I knew was that I had the ball at my feet and I wanted to score a goal. So I started dribbling up the field and all my teammates began to yell my name.

“Mario! Mario! Mario!”

I took the ball further up the field.

“Marioooooooooo!”

What’s wrong with them? Why do they want me to pass? None of the defenders wanted to take me on. I had a clear path to the goal.

“Mario!” Even the parents were yelling my name now. “You’re going the wrong way! Mario, nooooo!”

I didn’t understand that there was a right way to go. I just saw a goal, and I wanted to kick the ball into it.

Now, I don’t remember this myself, so you’ll have to take my father’s word for it. But there are two things that I do know. One, is that when I get the ball at my feet, all I ever want to do is put it in the back of the net.

As for the second? Well, I’ve always been inclined to do things my own way especially when it comes to football.